EssAeEm
@essaeem.bsky.social
Connoisseur of the weird and wondrous, especially animation, theme parks, folklore and puppets. I also run @gifs-of-puppets.bsky.social.
C'est magnifique! Here's a view of the château at EPCOT's Canada pavilion towering over the treeline as seen from across World Showcase Lagoon.
November 9, 2025 at 9:06 PM
C'est magnifique! Here's a view of the château at EPCOT's Canada pavilion towering over the treeline as seen from across World Showcase Lagoon.
"Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize!"
Concept art of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion attraction by Marc Davis for #PhantomsFriday.
Concept art of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion attraction by Marc Davis for #PhantomsFriday.
November 7, 2025 at 12:26 PM
"Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize!"
Concept art of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion attraction by Marc Davis for #PhantomsFriday.
Concept art of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion attraction by Marc Davis for #PhantomsFriday.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay recently announced that Rose, their geriatric lioness, has been retired from public view ahead of construction to expand the park's lion habitat. I'm glad I got to see her one last time when I visited last month, and here's wishing Rose a pleasant retirement.
November 6, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay recently announced that Rose, their geriatric lioness, has been retired from public view ahead of construction to expand the park's lion habitat. I'm glad I got to see her one last time when I visited last month, and here's wishing Rose a pleasant retirement.
In a story from Herman Hofberg's 'Swedish Fairy Tales,' a ship's crew was skeptical of the package that a giant named Puke had given them to deliver to the church in Lofta and instead threw it overboard onto a nearby island, which immediately burst into flames. #WyrdWednesday
November 5, 2025 at 12:15 PM
In a story from Herman Hofberg's 'Swedish Fairy Tales,' a ship's crew was skeptical of the package that a giant named Puke had given them to deliver to the church in Lofta and instead threw it overboard onto a nearby island, which immediately burst into flames. #WyrdWednesday
Miguel from Pixar's 'Coco' leads the way during the Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. #DiaDeLosMuertos
November 2, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Miguel from Pixar's 'Coco' leads the way during the Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. #DiaDeLosMuertos
A folktale featured in Patrick Kennedy’s Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts tells of a boy named Jack who sought shelter for the night inside a haunted castle, where he ended up joining a trio of ghosts in a game of puckeen (an Irish version of football). #PhantomsFriday
October 31, 2025 at 11:29 AM
A folktale featured in Patrick Kennedy’s Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts tells of a boy named Jack who sought shelter for the night inside a haunted castle, where he ended up joining a trio of ghosts in a game of puckeen (an Irish version of football). #PhantomsFriday
One Day until Halloween! It looks like Huey (or is it Dewey or Louie?) is getting a head start on trick-or-treating in the window of the Main Street Confectionery at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.
October 30, 2025 at 11:30 AM
One Day until Halloween! It looks like Huey (or is it Dewey or Louie?) is getting a head start on trick-or-treating in the window of the Main Street Confectionery at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.
Two Days until Halloween! This witchy jack-o'-lantern is among the many pumpkins used to decorate Walt Disney World's Main Street USA during this spooky season. #WyrdWednesday
October 29, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Two Days until Halloween! This witchy jack-o'-lantern is among the many pumpkins used to decorate Walt Disney World's Main Street USA during this spooky season. #WyrdWednesday
Three Days until Halloween! This werewolf statue is just one of the frightful decorations that can be seen around Busch Garden this time of year thanks to its annual Howl-O-Scream event!
October 28, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Three Days until Halloween! This werewolf statue is just one of the frightful decorations that can be seen around Busch Garden this time of year thanks to its annual Howl-O-Scream event!
Four Days until Halloween! This Mickey Pumpkin wishes you a Happy Halloweek!
October 27, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Four Days until Halloween! This Mickey Pumpkin wishes you a Happy Halloweek!
Five Days until Halloween! This clever jack-o'-lantern, which I recently spotted inside the Maharajah Jungle Trek's aviary at Disney's Animal Kingdom, makes humorous use of one of the area's fountains.
October 26, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Five Days until Halloween! This clever jack-o'-lantern, which I recently spotted inside the Maharajah Jungle Trek's aviary at Disney's Animal Kingdom, makes humorous use of one of the area's fountains.
Six Days until Halloween! Love these pumpkin versions of WALL-E and EVE, which you can currently spot at EPCOT as part of the park's annual Pluto's Pumpkin Pursuit scavenger hunt!
October 25, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Six Days until Halloween! Love these pumpkin versions of WALL-E and EVE, which you can currently spot at EPCOT as part of the park's annual Pluto's Pumpkin Pursuit scavenger hunt!
Only one week left until Halloween, but every day feels like Halloween at Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion!
October 24, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Only one week left until Halloween, but every day feels like Halloween at Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion!
Fun in the fall on Magic Kingdom's Main Street USA!
October 23, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Fun in the fall on Magic Kingdom's Main Street USA!
Hakuna Matata! #DisneysAnimalKingdom
October 21, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Hakuna Matata! #DisneysAnimalKingdom
Farewell to the Disney's Hollywood Studios arch, which was torn down over the weekend as part of the park's transformation of Animation Courtyard. Here's a #throwback to one of my favorite photos that I took of the arch, which showcases how it looked prior to its 2019 makeover.
October 19, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Farewell to the Disney's Hollywood Studios arch, which was torn down over the weekend as part of the park's transformation of Animation Courtyard. Here's a #throwback to one of my favorite photos that I took of the arch, which showcases how it looked prior to its 2019 makeover.
Happy 102nd Anniversary to The Walt Disney Company, originally founded as The Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio on this date in 1923! This Dumbo ride vehicle is among the many pieces of Disney history on display inside the Walt Disney Presents exhibit at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
October 16, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Happy 102nd Anniversary to The Walt Disney Company, originally founded as The Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio on this date in 1923! This Dumbo ride vehicle is among the many pieces of Disney history on display inside the Walt Disney Presents exhibit at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
"And all were glad when they saw how magical a nurse the young heir had, 'for here,' they said, 'is the witch Ziroonderel,' and they declared that she would bring him up amongst the true principles of wizardry..."
-Lord Dunsany, 'The King of Elfland's Daughter'
#WyrdWednesday
-Lord Dunsany, 'The King of Elfland's Daughter'
#WyrdWednesday
October 15, 2025 at 12:14 PM
"And all were glad when they saw how magical a nurse the young heir had, 'for here,' they said, 'is the witch Ziroonderel,' and they declared that she would bring him up amongst the true principles of wizardry..."
-Lord Dunsany, 'The King of Elfland's Daughter'
#WyrdWednesday
-Lord Dunsany, 'The King of Elfland's Daughter'
#WyrdWednesday
What a beautiful day! Finally felt a bit like autumn this morning.
October 12, 2025 at 8:15 PM
What a beautiful day! Finally felt a bit like autumn this morning.
The Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade at Magic Kingdom may not be a long parade, but it really packs a ton of beloved characters onto its two floats. #WaltDisneyWorld
October 9, 2025 at 8:26 PM
The Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade at Magic Kingdom may not be a long parade, but it really packs a ton of beloved characters onto its two floats. #WaltDisneyWorld
Long ago, the goddess Pele traveled across the ocean in her canoe to search for a suitable home where her fire and lava would be safe from the waters of her sister and rival Nāmaka the sea goddess, ultimately settling inside Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano. #WyrdWednesday
October 8, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Long ago, the goddess Pele traveled across the ocean in her canoe to search for a suitable home where her fire and lava would be safe from the waters of her sister and rival Nāmaka the sea goddess, ultimately settling inside Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano. #WyrdWednesday
A lovely view of EPCOT's World Showcase Lagoon as seen through the Japan Pavilion's torii gate, which is inspired by the iconic floating torii at Itsukushima shrine.
October 5, 2025 at 8:15 PM
A lovely view of EPCOT's World Showcase Lagoon as seen through the Japan Pavilion's torii gate, which is inspired by the iconic floating torii at Itsukushima shrine.
Among the many ghosts that have been witnessed haunting the Tower of London is an apparition said to resemble a bear standing on its hind legs. In 1816, the encounter a guard had with this ghostly bear was so intense that he died of fright. #FolkloreThursday
October 2, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Among the many ghosts that have been witnessed haunting the Tower of London is an apparition said to resemble a bear standing on its hind legs. In 1816, the encounter a guard had with this ghostly bear was so intense that he died of fright. #FolkloreThursday
Happy 54th Anniversary to Walt Disney World!
October 1, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Happy 54th Anniversary to Walt Disney World!